The Newmarket Royal Canadian Legion (RCL) Hall Branch 426 is supporting three local organizations and their work in the community throughout the pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has placed great stresses on families, individuals, and on the community organizations that support them. We at the Royal Canadian Legion are in awe of how the Newmarket community has stepped up to support each other,” said RCL Branch 426 first vice-president Brian Bolt.
Royal Canadian Legion member Tom Vegh, who is also Newmarket deputy mayor and regional councillor, and RCL Branch 426 financial officer Wayne Hooey introduced the 2021 donation recipients.
Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) received $500 to support its Black History Month virtual events.
“NACCA thanks the Royal Canadian Legion for their generous support as we celebrate the rich and diverse history and futures of Black Canadians with all Newmarket residents,” said NACCA board director Pauline Jones.
Newmarket Church of Christ received $1,500 to support the Newmarket Heights Food Bank.
“Since the beginning the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of local families needing assistance has almost doubled. We will be using this very generous donation from the Newmarket Royal Canadian Legion to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables and other perishable food items,” said Pastor Nathan Pickard.
Newmarket Valley View Alliance Church received $1,500 to support its community meal program.
“Our community meal program has changed from a sit-down community event to one where we distribute the meals through a take-out format,” said Sr. Pastor Garry James. “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of families and individuals being served has increased by more than 50 per cent. A cost we didn’t incur before the pandemic is the cost of take-out containers, and this donation goes a long way toward off-setting that.”
Named after an early leader of the RCL branch, the Milton Wesley Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion continues to loyally serve both veterans and the community, remaining faithful to the key principles of the Legion’s articles of faith: remembering Canadians who gave their lives so our nation could be free; loyalty to the sovereign and Canada; safeguarding the rights of the disabled, the widows, widowers and dependents of those who served; encouraging the national and united spirit in Canada, ordered government, peace, goodwill between Canadians and other nations; and advocating the maintenance of adequate defences and nurturing the spirit of comradeship in the nation both in times of peace and wartime.
